WRITING "S.M.A.R.T." GOALS

By: Carmen Willingsteachingvisuallyimpaired.comNovember 7, 2015​Individualized Education Program (IEP) formats and the criteria vary greatly between states and sometimes within states and even counties! One thing in common is that all goals should be "S.M.A.R.T.". "S.M.A.R.T." goals should meet the student's needs that result from the student's disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and meet each of the student's other educational needs that result from the student's disability. Goals are goals that are:

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SpecificA specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six "W" questions:

Who: Who is involved?

What: What do I want to accomplish?

Where: Identify a location.

When: Establish a time frame.

Which: Identify requirements and constraints.

Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

Blooms Taxonomyof cognitive objectives can be helpful when determining the "action" word to describe what the student must do to meet the goal.

MeasurableEstablish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, and reach your target dates. To determine if the goal is measurable, ask questions such as:

How much?

How many?

How will I know when it is accomplished?

Achievable/AttainableSet a plan and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps.Realistic & RelevantTo be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic. Be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.

TimelyA goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there's no sense of urgency.

Ex. When asked to complete a written assignment, (name), will independently load the paper in the braille writer with 90% accuracy on 4 of 5 opportunities by the end of the IEP duration.

The 3 C's

Short-term objectives (or benchmarks) must also be SMART and contain the 3 C's: condition; clearly defined behavior; performance criteria. Objectives describe the small steps needed to achieve the goal.

Additional Resources...

The Texas School for the Blind has compiled a list of possible goals and objectives that may be helpful as you write goals and objectives for your students.